August 2004
Cat fever is set to hit the UK when Thomson Directories launches its latest innovative advertising campaign, which is due to hit TV screens from August 16.

Thomson's new ‘kit' on the block

Introducing a new strapline of ‘lean, fast, smart' which reflects the brand's core values, the five- week campaign promises to shake up traditional directory advertising.

The exciting new treatment sees the return of the familiar blue cat, this time brought to life in part cat/part human form. This sleek, spirited and smart ‘feline-fatale' is seen outwitting a clumsy and cumbersome dog in this modern take on a ‘cat and dog' chase.

The £4 million campaign to launch the new ‘lean, fast, smart' communication strategy is the brain-child of Soho-based advertising agency MCBD.

MCBD managing director, Helen Calcraft , explains: “When we started looking into the brand and into the market we found that Thomson has every bit as much information as other directories, but what makes Thomson different is the way in which that information is intelligently packaged together. What we concluded is that the truth about Thomson is that it's really SMART.''

Smart
The new ‘smart' strategy has been adopted by the company to demonstrate its core brand values as well as encapsulating all the benefits that the local directory service offers. Thomson Directories marketing director, Kendall Gordon, believes that the new strategy perfectly reflects the brand: “We wanted a clear and differentiating identity that we can own yet is motivating for the user. We tested many different ideas but ‘smart' seemed to fit the bill perfectly because our products are comprehensive yet also have just the right amount of information.”

“In other words there is no irrelevant information in the Thomson Local, which makes it easy and quick to use. Furthermore all our products are well put together and have excellent features. Smartness is a feature of everything we do and being ‘smart' will also make users of our products feel good about themselves.”

Challenge
It is anticipated that the campaign will also further establish Thomson as a challenger brand within the increasingly competitive directories market.

In true challenger style, the resulting advert is both distinctive and engaging. Stephen McArdle , account director at MCBD, explains: “The ad begins in a busy high street. A cat woman dressed in a slinky blue cat suit in is limbering up by a lampost. A man approaches her, asking if there is a pet shop in the area. The cat-woman immediately gives him directions, but as soon as she has done so, turns and runs. At this point a dogman bursts into shot and a chaotic cross-town chase ensues, with the smart cat foiling her dopey pursuer through a nail bar, on the back of a dumper truck and – finally – leaping over the roof of an office building. The end line, Lean. Fast. Smart closes the execution.”